Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Present day processes, past changes and spatiotemporal variability of tree distribution at the ARCTIC BORDER: implications and feedbacks to the arctic and global environment  (ARCTIC BORDER)

Outline
The position and dynamics of the forest-tundra boundary delimiting the Arctic are major determinants for land atmosphere interactions at the circumpolar scale and for ecological and socioeconomic functions at the local to regional scale. Considering that terrestrial areas, including this boundary, are covering vast parts of the circumpolar north any change of position or structure will cause massive changes of the feedback system between the abiotic and biotic environments. High latitude forests and tundra areas provide essential feedbacks to the arctic and global climate through for example their capacity to store large amount of carbon and their ability to transform solar radiation to sensible heat. A change in growth rate and area covered by trees would change the CO2 uptake capacity of the regions, and replacement of tundra by forest (in particular evergreen) would decrease regional albedo and thus enhance warming. Further, changes in tree cover interact with the occurrence and distribution of continuous and discontinuous permafrost. Consequently, a change in range position would involve series of large ecosystem consequences with repercussion on occurrence and vitality of forests and trees in the transition zone towards the Arctic and thus further affecting the arctic environment. However, our understanding of the location, dynamics and environmental drivers (natural and human factors) at regional and circumpolar level is poor, and more knowledge about these processes is therefore needed. RationaleThe recently published Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA) presents detailed information of the global change responses, interactions and feedback mechanisms. ARCTIC BORDER is a related multidisciplinary research project, planned as an IASC initiative, seeking to explore changes in the circumpolar tundra-taiga boundary under the umbrella of the International Polar Year (IPY 2007-2008), by coordinating existing and new physical and biological measurements of key variables and processes at multiple observational sites around the Arctic. The project addresses these issues to reveal present and ongoing processes; identify and quantify past changes; and to improve the ability to predict future changes in response to environmental changes. Geographical regions and topics in focus will be the furthest pole ward positions of the tundra-taiga interface in a set of locations with contrasting climate pattern (continental vs. oceanic) around the circumpolar Arctic (see 2.1 below). At each selected location the primary focus are on regeneration pattern, history (abiotic and biotic disturbance, land use) and recent changes. These topics are addressed by the use of dendroecological, remote sensing, and socioecological techniques.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Main advances will be enhanced insight into present environmental status and change of the sensitive and environmentally highly significant Arctic border, and its role (feedbacks) in Arctic and global climate systems. Models predict that up to 35% of the present Eurasian tundra could be displaced by advancing boreal forest, with drastic consequences for the Arctic tundra biota, and for human societies depending on the sustained use of Arctic ecosystems. However, the models need to be elaborated with spatially and climatically diverse data reflecting the circumpolar diversity. The project will be a significant contributor in this respect which meets the requests by indicated IPY themes.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Partners from all countries in the circumpolar north where polar treelines are an important local or regional environmental factor or a topic of strong scientific and environmental interest. In addition the intention is to include partners from the southern Hemisphere. The project is already including the following partners (see 4.0 below):Norwegian Institute of Nature Research (NINA), NorwayUniversity of Oulu, FinlandUniversity of Helsinki, FinlandAbisko Research Station, SwedenRussian Academy of Sciences, RussiaUniversity of Laval, Quebec, CanadaUniversity of Alaska, USScott Polar Research Institute, UKUniversity of St. Andrews, UK

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Primary locations: Alaska, North-western Canada, Quebec. Scandinavia, North-western and North-eastern RussiaAdditional locations: Chile/Argentina, Southern New Zealand

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 09/06 – 03/07      03/07 – 09/08      09/08 – 03/09
Antarctic: 09/06 – 03/07      03/07 – 09/08      09/08 – 03/09

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
The project will use existing field stations and local transportation

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
No, the project will build on already existing research infrastructure. Observations and field experiments will conform to the IPY data and documentation policies.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

The TTI group will use existing networks at national and international levels, as well as local knowledge to secure the required logistics

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Yes, ARCTIC BORDER has been endorsed by the Finnish IPY committee, and we also expect endorsement from other national IPY committies in countries represented by the project consortium. The closely linked FATALITY project will be endorsed by the Canadian IPY committee.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?


The activity is a new project within the frames of the IASC project Tundra-Taiga Interface (see www.iasc.no)The project will include and coordinate multidisciplinary working groups and work packages, adopting common observation protocols, but will also have the sufficient flexibility to adopt to the funding structure for IPY projects.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be organised through the international Tundra-Taiga Interface group and coordinated by B. Sveinbjørnsson and A. Hofgaard (see details below)The ARCTIC BORDER proposed time plan for project/proposal implementation will, apart from the campaign periods (2007-08) given under point 2.2, include· Science plan to be presented for the IASC executive committee, and to the ICARP II meeting in Copenhagen Nov 2005. · 2005/06: Full proposal submission to ICSU/WMO. · 2006: Individual and joint funding proposals · 2009-2010: Publication and dissemination of results The management of ARCTIC BORDER will involve the following elements:· The already established TTI group will function as a Project Steering Committee (PSC), taking into account the recommendations given by the EoI-reviews from ICSU/WMO-JC. It will be responsible for working out the final proposal and for the management of the IPY-project, meeting regularly with the project coordinator. · The Program Coordinator/Secretariat will be responsible for coordination, data and information exchange, website, workshop organisation and the reporting process.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The project will include · PhD-student programs crosscutting the addressed IPY themes 1-3, and 6.· Association and joint workshops with local/regional stakeholders· Result presentations designed both for topic specific and integrated publications· Presentation schedules designed for political and public interest groups · A central website for public information and dissemination of scientific results will be established.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
ICSU World Data Centre will be provided with meta data information as soon as the project is finalised and full data information will be provided after publication of results, but at the latest three years after completion of the project.The metadata will be documented and published on a website, and the data management procedures will conform to the ICSU/WMO-JC data policy structures.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Funding will be sought at many different levels, from each individual participant (home institutions), from national research councils as well as from possible international sources (e.g. EU, Nordic sources), established with the aid of the IPY and other circumpolar networks. The project management plan will incorporate flexibility with respect to the uncertain funding structure of the research activities, since all participants/groups will eventually have to seek independent funding for their work packages through national and international councils as well as from their home institutions.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
The TTI group will also submit the project to Working Group 8 of the ICARP IIMeeting in order to get their support.Two other projects (EoI’s) submitted to the ICSU/WMO-JC are relevant and have significant complementary value for Arctic Border, i.e. FATALITY (Dr. Serge Payette, Universite Laval, Quebec, Canada)ARCLIDIV (Dr. Jon Børre Ørbech, Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway)The TTI group will seek close collaboration with these projects, in particular with the FATALITY project, which is coordinated with and closely linked with ARCTIC BORDER.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Annika Hofgaard
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
Polar environmental Centre
N-9296 Tromsø
Norway

Tel: +47 7775 0413
Mobile: +47 9245 2740
Fax: +47 7775 0401
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation